Learner driver statistics show that 85% of young people want to be driving regularly by the year 2035. However, passing both the theory and practical driving tests is easier said than done, with driving not only requiring considerable practice but can also be rather costly.
We’ve collated the definitive learner driver statistics page, complete with all the facts and stats a new driver needs in order to excel on the road.
Top 10 UK learner driver statistics
In the UK, it costs an average of £2,187 to learn to drive.
According to the RAC, three months of learner driver insurance costs £143.04.
In total, there have been more than five million driving tests taken between 2020 and 2024.
In Q4 2023, there were 245,000 tests – a fifth (20%) more than 203,000 tests in Q4 2022.
The number of theory tests conducted in the UK increased from just under 400,000 in Q1 2021 to more than 620,000 in Q4 2023.
The town with the highest driving test pass rate in 2023 was Arbroath, where close to three-quarters (73%) of tests ended in a pass.
Barrow-in-Furness was the English town with the best driving test pass rate in 2023, with two-thirds (66%) of tests resulting in a pass.
Provisional drivers aged under 17 had the best pass rate of all ages, with a pass percentage of almost three-fifths (60%).
Half of all men who took a driving test in the year leading up to March 2023 passed.
London has the most learner drivers per instructor, with 73% more than Manchester and almost double the number in Liverpool.
How much does it cost to learn to drive in the UK?
Learner driver statistics show that it costs an average of £2,187 to learn to drive. The most expensive aspect of learning to drive is the cost of the lessons, which comprises more than nine-tenths (92%) of the expenditure.
A breakdown of how much it costs to learn to drive in the UK
The theory and practical tests combined cost £98, meaning that they account for 4.5% of the total cost of learning to drive. However, this figure rises should a driver need to repeat their test.
What is the average cost of insurance for learner drivers?
The average cost for one day of daily learner insurance is £17.47. This increases by a fifth (20%) for two days of driving and represents a saving of £13.97 versus paying for two days of driving individually.
A breakdown of the average cost of daily learner insurance by duration
The price then increases by 16% for three days of daily learner insurance, before rising again by two-fifths (40%) to £34.14 for six days.
Bulk buying on learner insurance appears to be worth the money, with six days of insurance averaging out at £5.69 per day. This is 30% less than the daily average for three days of learner insurance and two-thirds less than the average for one day of insurance.
A breakdown of the average cost of weekly learner insurance by duration
One week of learner driver insurance costs an average of £33.64, which is over half (52%) as much as four weeks of learner insurance.
Two weeks of learner insurance cost nearly three-tenths (28%) more than one week, increasing from £33.64 to £43.28. The price increases by more than a fifth (21%) for three weeks of insurance compared to two weeks.
In terms of average cost per week, three weeks in bulk is the best value for money. This will cost a learner driver on average £17.55, which is 23p less than the average weekly price for four weeks of learner driver insurance. Two weeks of insurance costs per week are close to a quarter (23%) more than three weeks of insurance.
A breakdown of the average cost of monthly learner insurance by duration
The cost of insurance for learner drivers comes in at £105.82 for two months, equalling an average of £52.95 per month.
The cost then rises by nearly four-tenths (38%) for three months of cover, before rising again by a quarter (25%) to £179.52 for four months of cover. The average cost of learner driver insurance increases again, by just over a fifth (21%), to £219.92 for five months of cover.
Five months' cover is the most economical, with learner drivers paying £43.80. This is, per month, 2% less than those who pay for four months of coverage, whilst it is 17% less than the per monthly cost of paying for two months of coverage.
How do standard car insurance costs compare to learner driver insurance? Check out for all car insurance statistics and facts.
Driving test statistics
In Q4 2023, 519,000 car practical driving tests were taken, an increase of 22% compared to the quarter before. Meanwhile, 627,000 car theory tests were taken – a rise of 5%.
UK driving test pass rate statistics
Statistics show that the pass rate for driving tests slightly decreased between 2020 and 2024, reducing from 49.8% to 48.2%. As the number of driving tests increased, the percentage that resulted in a pass went down.
A breakdown of the practical driving test pass rate for UK learner car drivers between 2020 and 2024
| Year | Number of driving tests | Number of passed driving tests | Percentage of driving tests that were passed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 to 2021 | 437,352 | 217,807 | 49.80% |
| 2021 to 2022 | 1,538,314 | 751,914 | 48.90% |
| 2022 to 2023 | 1,688,955 | 816,775 | 48.40% |
| 2023 to 2024 | 1,384,678 | 668,038 | 48.20% |
(Source: GOV.UK)
The GOV.UK statistics clearly show the impact of COVID-19 on the number of tests undertaken. From 2020 to 2021, there were 437,352 tests, which increased by 251% from 2021 to 2022.
In the year that followed, the number of tests completed rose again, this time by 9% to 1,688,595. Learner driver statistics show that from 2023 to 2024, the number of tests fell by close to a fifth (18%).
In regard to overall passes, between 2021 to 2022 and 2023 to 2024, the number of passes fell by just over a tenth (11%) from 751,914 to 668,038.
A breakdown of the practical driving test pass rate for UK learner car drivers by quarter (Q1 2021 to Q3 2023)
Learner driver statistics show that the quarter with the highest number of both tests and passes was Q4 2023, with 518,975 tests and 245,843 passes. In terms of tests, this is more than a fifth (22%) more than in Q4 2022 and close to a quarter (23%) more than in Q4 2021.
In 2021, the number of passes fluctuated considerably. In Q1 and Q2, the pass rate decreased by 12% from 373,645 to 291,317. By Q4 2021, this increased by more than a third (34%) to 201,844.
A breakdown of the number of tests conducted passed and their pass rate (Q1 2021 to Q3 2023)
| Date | Conducted | Passed | Pass rate (Percentage) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q1 2021 | 373,465 | 171,186 | 45.8 |
| Q2 2021 | 291,317 | 150,407 | 51.6 |
| Q3 2021 | 401,367 | 199,139 | 49.6 |
| Q4 2021 | 419,743 | 201,844 | 48.1 |
| Q1 2022 | 425,887 | 200,524 | 47.1 |
| Q2 2022 | 404,130 | 196,805 | 48.7 |
| Q3 2022 | 412,735 | 200,969 | 48.7 |
| Q4 2022 | 425,183 | 203,925 | 48 |
| Q1 2023 | 446,907 | 215,076 | 48.1 |
| Q2 2023 | 433,529 | 210,901 | 48.6 |
| Q3 2023 | 432,174 | 211,294 | 48.9 |
| Q4 2023 | 518,975 | 245,843 | 47.4 |
(Source: GOV.UK)
The numbers remained relatively stable in 2022. By Q1 2023, there were 215,076 passes, a figure which then decreased by 2% to 210,901 as of Q2 2023. Between Q2 2023 and Q4 2023, the number of passes increased by 16% to 245,843.
Despite the increase in passes in Q4 2023, the pass rate percentage was the lowest it had been since Q1 2022. At 47.4%, it was 1.5 percentage points less than the previous quarter.
Once you’ve passed your driving test, check out our young driver insurance statistics page, which breaks down the cost of insurance as well as factors that will affect the price.
UK theory test pass rate statistics
The number of theory tests conducted has fluctuated considerably between Q1 2021 and Q4 2023. The numbers peaked in Q2 2021, with 733,404 tests conducted. This increased number is a result of the COVID-19 backlog.
However, by Q2 2022, this figure had dropped by 13% to 634,022. By the end of the year, the number of tests had reduced by 5% to 599,124.
Q3 2023 saw the highest number of theory tests in over two years. The figure of 663,103 was 4% higher than the quarter before.
A breakdown of the driving theory test pass rate for UK learner car drivers by quarter (Q1 2021 to Q3 2023)
The pass rate of theory tests also peaked in Q2 2021, with 395,679 passes – a pass percentage rate of 54%.
Since then, the number of passes has reduced by 30% to 276,821, while the pass percentage rate has decreased by 9.8 percentage points.
A breakdown of the driving theory test pass rate for UK learner car drivers between 2020 and 2024
Driving theory test statistics show that the pass rate percentage peaked in 2020 to 2021 with a pass percentage of 55.7%, before decreasing by 10.7 percentage points by 2023 to 2024.
The years with the most tests conducted and most passes were 2021 to 2022. These years saw 1.4% more tests conducted and 14.8% more passes than any other.
Which places have the highest driving test pass rates in the UK?
Arbroath was the UK town with the highest driving test pass rate in 2023, with close to three-quarters (73%) of tests in the Scottish town ending in a pass.
A breakdown of the UK towns with the best driving test pass rates in 2023
| Location | Driving test pass rate |
|---|---|
| Arbroath | 73.10% |
| Forfar | 72.30% |
| Montrose | 69.70% |
| Kelso | 67.50% |
| Hawick | 67.40% |
| Peebles | 67.10% |
| Newtown | 66.70% |
| Barrow in Furness | 66.50% |
| Lerwick | 66.50% |
| Kendal (Oxenholme Road) | 65.80% |
(Source: Day Insure)
The top six towns for pass rate were all in Scotland. The town with the best pass rate outside of Scotland was Newtown, with a pass rate of 66.7%. This was Wales’s best town for driving test pass rate.
Barrow-in-Furness had England’s strongest pass rate (66.5%), which was 6.6 percentage points lower than Scotland’s.
A breakdown of the English towns with the best driving test pass rates in 2023
| Location | Driving test pass rate |
|---|---|
| Barrow-in-Furness | 66.50% |
| Kendal (Oxelholme Road) | 65.80% |
| Dorchester | 64.60% |
| Chichester | 64.40% |
| Lancing | 61.40% |
| Skegness | 61.40% |
| Bridlington | 60.60% |
| Ludlow | 60.40% |
| Melton Mowbray | 60.20% |
| Ipswich | 60.10% |
(Source: Day Insure)
Each of the top 10 towns in England had a driving test pass rate higher than 60%. Only two in England had a pass rate of over 65%, which were Barrow-in-Furness and Kendal (Oxelholme Road). By comparison, Scotland had seven towns with a pass rate in excess of 65%.
Of the top 10, Ipswich was the only town to have a population greater than 100,000.
Which age group and gender has the best driving test pass rate?
The age group with the highest overall average for pass rate in the year to March 2023 were 17 and under. This group had a pass rate of 59%, with men having a pass rate of 60%.
A breakdown of the UK practical driving test pass rate by age and gender (2023)
The pass rate then dropped by eight percentage points for those aged 18-20, before falling again by another three percentage points for those between 21-29.
For men, the pass rate between 18-20-year-olds and 50-59-year-olds reduced by 14%. However, men over the age of 60 had a better pass percentage rate than men aged 50-59, with a pass percentage rate that was 2% higher than those of their juniors.
For women, this did not apply, with the pass rate gradually reducing as they got older. Women taking the test after the age of 60 had a pass percentage rate that was 26 percentage points lower than those aged 17 and under.
A breakdown of the overall pass rate of men and women
Learner driver statistics show that half of men who took their driving test in the year leading up to March 2023 passed. By comparison, the number of women who passed was four percentage points lower.
What is the average number of times it takes to pass a driving test in the UK?
UK learner driver statistics found that 48% of drivers passed their test on their first attempt, two percentage points less than those who passed on their second attempt.
In all, 810,000 drivers conducted their first attempt in the year leading up to March 2023. This is 88% more than those who took a second test, and 278% more than those who took a third.
A breakdown of the pass rate of UK learner drivers by the number of attempts in the year to March 2023
First-time pass rate statistics show that 391 learner drivers passed on their first attempt. This is 83% more than the number who passed on their second test, and 271% more than those who passed on their third attempt.
Temporary car insurance statistics reveal that drivers aged 17-20 are charged the most for temporary car insurance.
What are the most common driving test fails in the UK?
The most common cause of instant failure in driving tests was learner drivers losing control of the wheel while forward parking. This caused a quarter (25%) of instant fails. The next highest cause was insufficient observation while at a junction, which resulted in 17% of instant fails.
A breakdown of the most common dangerous faults leading to an instant failed driving test in 2023
One in 10 instant failures were caused by failing to use mirrors when changing direction – this was four times more common than failures to move off safely, and more than twice as common as failing to judge risks at a crossing.
Learner driver penalty statistics
According to the results of a Freedom of Information request, learner driver statistics show that 77,406 learner drivers already have points on their provisional licenses as of March 2023.
The data from the RAC also shows that 81% of these drivers are male, compared to just 19% of provisional drivers with points on their license who were female.
The learner driver penalty statistics show that, in total, more than 400,000 points were issued to provisional drivers, with learner drivers aged between 20 and 29 the most likely to suffer from being issued penalty points.
Learner driver accident statistics
Learner driver accident statistics indicate that the number of casualties involving learner drivers has decreased considerably since 2004. Between 2004 and 2019, the number of casualties involving young drivers fell by nearly three-fifths (58%) from 12,333 to 5,064.
Following COVID-19, casualties fell again by a fifth (21%) between 2019 and 2020, before rising by a quarter (23%) to 4,935. However, this is still 2.5% less than prior to the pandemic.
A breakdown of learner driver accident casualty statistics (2004 to 2022)
| Year | All casualties | Passengers of younger car drivers | Younger car drivers | Other casualties |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 12,333 | 2,933 | 3,964 | 5,436 |
| 2005 | 11,885 | 2,788 | 3,871 | 5,227 |
| 2006 | 11,560 | 2,754 | 3,812 | 4,993 |
| 2007 | 11,018 | 2,551 | 3,543 | 4,925 |
| 2008 | 9,718 | 2,114 | 3,217 | 4,387 |
| 2009 | 9,106 | 1,963 | 2,946 | 4,197 |
| 2010 | 7,610 | 1,546 | 2,436 | 3,628 |
| 2011 | 7,043 | 1,396 | 2,244 | 3,403 |
| 2012 | 6,490 | 1,285 | 2,026 | 3,179 |
| 2013 | 5,925 | 1,128 | 1,858 | 2,939 |
| 2014 | 6,089 | 1,198 | 1,889 | 3,002 |
| 2015 | 5,948 | 1,145 | 1,834 | 2,968 |
| 2016 | 5,564 | 1,066 | 1,624 | 2,874 |
| 2017 | 5,366 | 999 | 1,565 | 2,803 |
| 2018 | 5,223 | 950 | 1,505 | 2,769 |
| 2019 | 5,064 | 928 | 1,459 | 2,676 |
| 2020 | 3,993 | 770 | 1,165 | 2,059 |
| 2021 | 4,478 | 917 | 1,261 | 2,300 |
| 2022 | 4,935 | 1,078 | 1,365 | 2,491 |
(Source: GOV.UK)
The casualties of passengers of young drivers have fallen by more than three-fifths (63%) between 2004 and 2022. However, the 2022 figure of 1,078 was the highest number of passenger casualties since 2015 and was two-fifths (40%) higher than 2020.
Between 2004 and 2022, the number of young drivers killed behind the wheel has fallen by three-fifths (63%) from 3,964 to 1,365.
Which UK city has the most learner drivers per instructor?
London has the most learner drivers per instructor, with 661. This is almost three-quarters (73%) more than in Manchester and 99% more than Liverpool.
A breakdown of the UK cities with the most learner drivers per instructor
Glasgow had the highest number of learner drivers per instructor in Scotland, 5% more than nearby Edinburgh, with 273 learner drivers per instructor.
Oxford and London were the only cities in the south of England to make the top 10.
If you’re heading off to university and want to find a way to reduce your car insurance, compare student car insurance deals for the best price.
FAQs
How long is a driving test?
The driving part of a test typically lasts about 40 minutes. During the test you’ll be examined on general driving and the ability to reverse the vehicle safely. The test is designed to check if the learner driver understands the highway code and whether they can drive safely in different conditions.
How much does a driving test cost?
On average, a practical test costs a learner driver £75, while a theory test costs £23.
How to pass a driving test?
To pass a driving test, you must demonstrate adequate knowledge of road rules and competent driving skills by adhering to traffic laws, signalling appropriately, and performing required manoeuvres safely and confidently.
How many hours to pass a driving test?
In the UK, a learner driver needs approximately 45 hours to be test-ready. In most cases, that would be approximately 22 or 23 driving lessons.
How much does it cost to add a learner driver to insurance in the UK?
Adding learner driver insurance to an existing UK insurance policy typically costs between £70 to £200 per month, depending on the insurer and coverage level.
Who can supervise a learner driver?
In the UK, a learner driver can be supervised by someone who is at least 21 years old, holds a full driving license for the type of vehicle being driven, and has held that license for a minimum of three years.
How many passengers can a learner driver have in the UK?
In the UK, a learner driver can have as many passengers as the vehicle can legally seat, provided they are all wearing seat belts. But they must be supervised by a qualified driver sitting in the front passenger seat.
Learner driver glossary
DVSA (Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency)
The UK government agency responsible for driving tests, vehicle safety, and driver education.
Learner driver
An individual who is learning to drive a vehicle and holds a provisional driving licence.
Provisional driving licence
A licence that allows an individual to start learning to drive, either by taking lessons with an instructor, or practicing with a qualified driver.
Practical driving test
A test of a learner driver’s knowledge of road rules, hazard perception, and driving theory.
Hazard perception
The ability to identify and respond to potential hazards while driving, tested as part of the theory test.
